


It Was Always You

by joufancyhuh



Series: Fereldan Royalty [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Leather & Lace, Lost Love, Nonwarden cousland
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 01:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13730226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joufancyhuh/pseuds/joufancyhuh
Summary: Alistair storms out after Eamon suggests he becomes King. Cousland finds him and tells of her last visit to Redcliffe to raise his spirits.





	It Was Always You

**Author's Note:**

> Leather & Lace Day 7: Soulmates
> 
> I hate the idea of soulmates so figuring out what to write for this day was perhaps the hardest. But then I remembered this canon story for Idrina and Alistair and here we are. I've had this planned for awhile.

Idrina found Alistair in the stables outside of Arl Eamon’s estate after an hour of searching, his legs dangling over the edge of the loft with a scowl on his face. With careful steps, she ascended up the ladder, scooting next to where her lover’s honeydrip eyes glazed over as he gazed out from his high perch. She worried over his storm out when the Arl suggested him King, and after scouring high and low, she turned her attention to the separate buildings.

She nudged his shoulder with her own, watching the drift fade from him as he brought himself back into the moment.

“How are you doing, love?”

He shrugged, fighting off whatever path his thoughts attempted to lead him down. “When I still lived here, I would come here to think and play. I spent a lot of nights up here in this loft, just… thinking. I guess old habits die hard.”

She leaned back, using her arms for support, kicking a leg out into the open space above the stables. “You know, I had my first kiss in this loft.”

Alistair glanced over, not hiding the surprise that flashed in his eyes. “You did?”

She nodded, a slow smile spreading over her lips. “My parents brought me to some noble get-together to show off my brother for potential marriages. They didn’t even notice when I stole a bunch of grapes and ran out.” She bit her lip, then pointed to where he sat. “There was a boy around my age that sat right where you are. We played with the wooden swords he kept in here, and when he won, he kissed me.” Her blue eyes slid over to the perplexed look overtaking his face. “Kind of like you did.”

“This boy, was he-”

She kicked her foot in his direction, giggling. “Don’t get jealous, it was a long time ago. And it was innocent, we were only kids.” Her cheeks heated with the recount of the event, of the two falling asleep on the bail of hay until her father carried her back to the family. “Though he was my first crush.”

“He was?”

She sighed, falling flat onto her back while keeping her legs dangling in the air. “He was the only person to beat me in a fight other than Fergus. I respected that. Actually…” She ran a hand over her face to hide some of her embarrassment, the slight pinking to her cheeks. “He’s the reason I started the challenge.”

“He is?” Alistair moved to lay on his side beside her, removing one of the hands off her face to hold to his cheek as his doe eyes stared with wonder at her tale.

She nodded, biting into the corners of her bottom lip  in a failing effort to hide her sheepish grin. She never said these words out loud before, never told anyone else this story. And though she should feel at ease telling her heart’s desire this recount, all she felt was tense at how this might sound to him.  “It sounds silly, I know, but I didn’t want to get married. And I’m a damn good fighter, as you’re well aware. I went to my Father and put the idea forward, sold him on the idea of not taking a son-in-law that was a weaker fighter than his daughter. My Mother had a fit when she found out.”

She ran her thumb along the curve of his cheekbone. “But secretly, I thought maybe the boy I met would hear about the challenge and show up, fight and win my hand. He had to be someone important’s son to be here, right?”

Alistair moved her hand down his face to hold his lips to her palm. “And you never saw him again?”

She shook her head. “Probably for the best. I’m sure he’s forgotten all about me. Like I said, we were both so young.”

Alistair let go of her hand, throwing his head back as deep rumbling laughter quaked his entire body. She quirked an eyebrow, watching him fight for breath as it continued on for several minutes, growing more annoyed the longer it went on. She shared a secret with him, something embarrassing. Why did he act like this? His behavior struck her as uncharacteristic for the man she came to care for these last months.

She fought to sit up, but he rolled onto her, pinning her to the straw-covered floor as he worked to regain his control. She pushed at his shoulders, but he refused to budge. “You’re hurting my feelings. It’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry,” he managed to gasp out. “It’s just…” He sucked in a deep breath before it blew between his tightly pressed lips, another wave of laughter erupting from his chest.

She shoved harder this time, scooting so that her feet gained purchase on the wood. The man she loved mocked her for her stupid young infatuation. She succeeded in her original goal of cheering him, but at what cost? Tears prickled at her eyes as she fought to stop her bottom lip from quivering. Each lash of his laughter stung more than the biting of a sword or arrow on the battlefield.  

She managed to flip him onto his back so that she could upright herself. “Maker’s breath, you’re being _cruel_. I only came out to check how you were doing, but if you’re going to act this way, then I’m going back inside.”

As she turned to propel herself off the floor, his hand shot out and gripped her wrist, his chuckles finally calming down though his face remained a violent blood red. “Rina, don’t go.”

She shifted back to her sitting position, shaking off his hold to cross her arms over her chest while she glared out into the stables, refusing the meet his pleading eyes. “I fail to see what you find so hilarious in all this.”

He grinned, laying a hand on top of her folded arms. “That boy never forgot you. In fact, he dreamed of you often throughout Templar training.” He reached over and pulled a small piece of straw from her dark crown. “You showed him a kindness not many did back then.”

Her arms dropped to her side as a small gasp left her throat. “Andraste’s tits, are you saying what I think you are?”

He bent his head in a mock bow. “The Blight has a funny way of bringing people together.”

“Maker’s fucking breath.” She paused before leaping onto him, throwing her arms around his neck while peppering kisses over his face, knocking him onto his back. “You utter bastard. You really hurt my feelings!”

“It seems that I have only kissed one woman,” he grinned, laying his own kisses into her skin, arms circling her waist to hold her steady on top of his chest. “If I had known I already beat you in a fight, I wouldn’t have trained.”

She nudged her nose along the bridge of his. “The Maker has a twisted way of bringing you and I together, but he truly provides.” She planted a long kiss onto his lips. “I gave up hope on this a long time ago.”

“But here we are.” He hesitated, letting go of her to cup her cheek. She smiled and leaned into it, eyes closed while she relished this short moment of privacy and love. “Rina… I’ve wanted to say this for a long time, but thank you. For seeing me as a person, then, now. Not as the king’s bastard.”

“Oh, you’re still quite a bastard,” she teased. “And to be fair, you’ve hid this from me. Twice, if you count when we first met.”

His smile faded, his brow wrinkling while he gazed into her eyes. “You said it doesn’t change anything, but… does it? Does it now?”

“Of course not. I’m with you to the Blight and back, love. And if you don’t want to be King, then I support you. And if you do, I’d support that too.”

He reached up to dance his fingertips along her crown. “You’d make a fine Queen.”

“And you a fine King.” She bent her head to capture his lips, whispering a “Your Majesty” into them. He pinched her behind with the hand still around her waist, earning a shriek as she wiggled against him, his arms holding her tight while they rolled so that she lay on her back.

She grinned up at him, a mischievous glint entering her smile. “The future King of Ferelden isn’t too mighty to have a quick romp in the hay, is he?”

“He is, but good thing you have me instead.” Alistair’s smirk cut off with a kiss as the two scooted so they could not be seen from below. Oh, but how they could be heard.


End file.
